Readers of the Times News in Kingsport and the Johnson City Press, both in Northeast Tennessee, saw new looks on Tuesday, Dec. 12. The redesigns of the Sandusky Newspaper Group papers are somewhat different but the goal is the same: Make them easier to read.

But it's not just the design that has changed; it's also the ways in which stories are told, according to Times News Publisher Rick Thomason, who is overseeing the project.

"Our redesigns aren't just about fonts, rebranding and colors," said Bill Ostendorf, president and founder of Creative Circle. "It's really about changing newsroom culture and creating content that is more relevant, more interesting and easier to read."

Keith Wilson, long serving publisher of the Kingsport Times-News and president of SNG's Northeast Tennessee Marketing Group (NETmg), will be retiring at the end of this year. Rick Thomason will succeed Wilson and also serve as senior vice president/content for the five Tri Cities area SNG newspapers. He will begin transition work full time on Dec. 12 in Kingsport.